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Exercise and physical health: cancer and immune function
1Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. halim@gauss.med.harvard.edu
Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport
|December 1, 1995
Summary
Regular physical activity may lower cancer risk, especially for colon and breast cancers, but evidence for prostate cancer is mixed. Moderate exercise can also boost the immune system and potentially reduce upper respiratory tract infections.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Exercise Physiology
- Immunology
- Oncology
Background:
- Accumulating epidemiological data suggest a link between physical activity and reduced cancer risk.
- Exercise may influence cancer risk through hormonal alterations and immune system modulation.
- Previous research indicates exercise is associated with decreased risk for colon and breast cancers, but findings for prostate cancer are inconsistent.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the epidemiological evidence on the relationship between physical activity and the risk of various cancers.
- To explore the potential biological mechanisms, including immune system enhancement, linking exercise to cancer prevention.
- To examine the effects of exercise on cancer patients' quality of life and immune function.
Main Methods:
- Review of epidemiological studies investigating physical activity and cancer incidence.
- Analysis of research on exercise-induced changes in reproductive hormones and immune function.
- Evaluation of preliminary data on exercise interventions for cancer patients.
Main Results:
- Consistent evidence suggests exercise reduces the risk of colon cancer and may reduce breast cancer incidence.
- Epidemiological data for prostate cancer risk associated with exercise are inconsistent.
- Moderate exercise appears to enhance immune function, potentially reducing upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) risk, though high-endurance exercise might increase URTI risk.
Conclusions:
- Physical activity is associated with a reduced risk of certain cancers, particularly colon and breast cancer.
- The role of exercise in preventing prostate cancer requires further investigation due to inconsistent findings.
- While exercise may transiently enhance immune function and improve quality of life for cancer patients, its clinical significance in cancer progression and prevention needs more research.
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